The Retired Star's Private Kitchen [Gourmet]

[My column has a forthcoming story, Transmigrating to Ancient Times, Luckily I Have Supplies (Food). Feel free to check it out if you're interested!]

A private restaurant in Linxi suddenly becomes popular. Beef short rib fried noodles, shrimp paste chicken wings, Four Happiness Meatballs, celery with lily bulbs... Dishes made from everyday ingredients are not only beautiful, but delicious too.

Diners who came hoping to take photos and check in sip some peanut drink to wash down their meal. Staring at the empty plates in front of them, they fall into thought: the food was so delicious, they never got around to taking pictures.

What can they do?

They'll just have to come back tomorrow for another meal~

A diner dragged along by a friend to eat "pretty food" takes a seat reluctantly. The moment the aroma hits, they turn into a glutton, taking a moment to apologize to their friend: "Sorry, I was putting on airs before. I didn't expect this place's food to be so good."

I'm coming back next time!

A fussy little kid who barely eats tucks into sweet-and-sour ribs in one hand and pan-fried lamb chops in the other, thoroughly enjoying themself. They don't look picky at all, unlike usual.

The child's mother asks the father, "Is our cooking really that bad?"

The father is busy devouring his food. "This restaurant's food is just that good."

Unlike the customers enjoying their meals inside, several people are standing outside the private restaurant, stopped by the turnstile.

"It's clearly open. Why won't you let me in?"

"Why does this restaurant get to pick its customers? This is discrimination!"

You Yao, taking a quick break in the kitchen, glances at the security footage outside. On the screen, the people kept out have their past online attacks against her displayed above their heads.

You Yao can't help laughing.

-----------------------Forthcoming Story

Transmigrating to Ancient Times, Luckily I Have Supplies (Food)

Chu Qing was supposed to transmigrate to a post-apocalyptic world, but she is unexpectedly dropped into ancient times. When she wakes, she sees a leaky roof and a pair of twin siblings, a boy and a girl, whose clothes are covered in patches.

All three are frail, and their pockets are emptier than their stomachs.

Luckily, the storage space containing her supplies has come along with her consciousness.

Chu Qing excitedly opens her space, ready to find some prepared food to stave off her hunger, only to discover that all the ready-made food has turned into ingredients.

Fried chicken wings have become fresh chicken wings, breadcrumbs, marinade powder, and cooking oil. Cream cake has become milk, white sugar, and eggs.

Starting fires, fighting, rock climbing: Chu Qing learned many skills to prepare for the post-apocalypse, but cooking was the one thing she never learned.

Fortunately, she finds a cookbook in her space.

-

The supplies in her space are completely out of place in the ancient world. Chu Qing is afraid people will think she's a monster, so she doesn't dare take them out casually. Looking at her family's tattered clothes, she knows things can't go on like this.

Chu Qing lives by the idea that if you're short on money, go make some, and if you're not, lie flat. She decides to use ingredients from her space to set up a snack stall with no overhead costs.

Today she wants to buy a new outfit, so she'll sell hand-grabbed pancakes for a few days.

Tomorrow she wants to buy a storybook to pass the time, so she'll sell pearl milk tea for a few days.

The day after, she wants to enjoy a good meal at a restaurant, so she'll sell rice-stuffed chicken wings for a few days.

While running her stall, Chu Qing notices that young men in Suizhou all look unhealthy. They're pale and cough now and then. In short, they look terribly frail.

Later, she learns that Suizhou is home to the Prince of Ji's heir, a man of extraordinary talent and bearing. His poor health gives him a delicate, sickly beauty, and women everywhere adore him. So the men of Suizhou have all started imitating him.

Chu Qing: Something's wrong with them.

After watching them for a while, Chu Qing realizes it's true.

A few days ago, she heard that the heir had bought a set of clothes in dark teal, and the dark teal fabric at every cloth shop sold out.

The heir bought a calligraphy brush, and the next day the bookshop was packed.

What Chu Qing never expected was that her little stall would also get to cash in on people "imitating the heir."

All because one day, the heir's personal attendant bought a red bean and rice cake pie from her stall.

And then a long line formed at her stall.

Chu Qing, who never intended to take business seriously, is on the verge of tears: I've earned enough to buy my storybooks. I want to clock out!

Note:

A fictional ancient world, very loosely based on anything real

The male lead isn't actually sickly

Theme: Be civilized to one another; a better world takes everyone's effort